Just a few more days before "tryptophan overdose day". I've heard and experienced the fact, due to the tremendously diverse Thanksgiving Day menu, the best wine matches, most often, are the ones with slight residual sugar or are really on the "fruity"(not meaning off dry) side of the spectrum - i.e. Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Chenin Blanc, White Zinfandel, Beaujolais Noveau, etc.

It would be interesting to get "forumite" feedback regarding their own personal T-Day food/wine matching experinces/favorites. Last year I thought I'de experiment with a couple of big dry reds from California for T-Day dinner and failed miserably. Not that the wines themselves weren't great, it's just that the wine/food match was obviously off balance! The menu was very traditional - Turkey (duh), traditional herb seasoned stuffing, mashed potatoes w/ turkey gravy, yams w/ brown sugar and butter sauce, corn, cranberry sauce- the works! And a big Cal-Cab to go with it- big mistake! The year earlier I had pretty much the same menu and paired it with a fruity Sonoma Coast Pinot and everything melded perfectly.

So it's absolutely amazing how the right or wrong wine can either bring "acclaim" or "defame" depending on the food match. Best of luck to all this Thanksgiving Day weekend!

AaronW. wrote: It would be interesting to get "forumite" feedback regarding their own personal T-Day food/wine matching experinces/favorites. !

I'm taking a couple of bottles of '04 Edmunds St John Bone-Jolly (Gamay Noir for the uninitiated) along with a half a dozen baguettes, a dozen semolina rolls and a dozen Pugliese rolls to the folks who were kind enough to invite Zari and me for T-Day. The ESJ might be a little delicate for the bird and gravy, but I'm in the mood. The bread is coming from a place called Papa's Oven in Martinez, CA. Good stuff!

Caution: this is a semi-commercial post. The '04 Bone-Jolly has plenty of intensity to stand up to the stuffing, gravy, etc. (Not all vintages have had so much stuffing of their own) Gamay, being high in acidity, does great with rich, savoury dishes. I don't have a lot of this left, but it's around. We'll be drinking some Thursday ourselves, I suspect.
I went to Kermit's Beaujolais Nouveau gig Saturday. I'd already had the '06 DePeuble, which is perhaps everything one might reasonably hope for from a Nouveau, so I ordered the '05 Cote de Brouilly from Chanrion, and it was just perfect. This is the real deal. Tenderness, prettiness, lip-smacking, with gorgeous tannins. Ooh, la-la!!!!! If you want a French accent on your T-day wine, this is the one.

I don't know just how I'm supposed to play this scene, but I ain't afraid to learn...

Gary Barlettano wrote:a half a dozen baguettes, a dozen semolina rolls and a dozen Pugliese rolls to the folks who were kind enough ...... The bread is coming from a place called Papa's Oven in Martinez, CA.

Darn it, Gary. I assumed you were baking up a storm on Wednesday and was going to ask for recipes!

On the topic of the original post.... we're having something sparkling with starters and then Pinot Noir. Port for sitting around after dessert. Haven't gone wine shopping yet, so can't be more specific.

(And, of course, good single malts for sipping later on for those of us with good taste! )

Usually I serve my home made Steuben Rose, from the current vintage, but the grapes ripened late this year and the fermentation hasn't finished yet (have to wait until Christmas). Think of an off-dry, spicy Gewurtz, only pink and with a bit of labrusca foxiness. Not a bad turkey match, but goes well with everything else, including the cranberries. However, I do have one bottle left from last year. I'll be celebrating the holiday with my sister in Maine, so I'll be taking along a few other wines also: my home made bubbly, from Johnson Estate Foch Nouveau, '01 DeBeauf Morgon, my home made Gamay and I'll probably pick up a Vouvray to have with the Saturday night lobster.

AaronW. wrote:Does Canada celebrate Thanksgiving Day the same as we do here in the states?

Aaron, I'll just take the liberty of answering your question and say that no, in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving about 5 weeks or so earlier than in the U.S. (it's the second Monday in October up here). I used to wish we celebrated at the same time as it would make for a great trans-national holiday ... but then I realized that the harvests typically conclude earlier up here than down in the States, especially in the South.

I think Beaujolais works well with turkey and trimmings. But this year I am going with other wines. We are having a group Thanksgiving dinner after a 2:00 PM church service and I am taking a bottle each of Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Rose, Banfi Rosa Regale (for dessert with chocolates and pies, etc.), Trimbach Gewurztraminer and a red Burgundy or California Pinot Noir (to be determined). I may take a German Riesling Spatlese also for those who are not regular wine drinkers and prefer sweet wines with the meal or with dessert.

We're spending Turkey Day in a turkey-free enviroment- dinner with the
pesce-vegetarian in-laws. Almost certain to be a salmon main course,
I'll bring a Pinot Noir and a Kabinett-level Riesling for the sides.

Saturday Betsy wants to cook a turkey, with some friends who will miss
Thanskgiving on mainland. I'll decide when she announces sides, but
might be Riesling again with maybe a cru Beaujolais. But there's a
Nebbiolo-head coming, so at least one Barolo. And.....

Having such concentrated sugar in a meal will affect the taste of acidic reds. That is why whites work IMHO. I will be having an 02 Oregon Van Duzer Pinot and a Holly Hill 2004 El Dorado Tranquille Blanc (72% Viognier, 28% Roussanne) with our tofu turkey meal. My wife has an amazing tofu turkey recipe...guess what the key incredient is red wine.

My apologies, but to me tofu turkey sounds as awful as the tofu tuna salad a vegetarian once served my friend and me. The cous cous dish was good but if you are having tuna salad, you need tuna, and if you are having turkey, you need turkey.

JC (NC) wrote:My apologies, but to me tofu turkey sounds as awful as the tofu tuna salad a vegetarian once served my friend and me. The cous cous dish was good but if you are having tuna salad, you need tuna, and if you are having turkey, you need turkey.

JC, well said. If you are vegetarian, please stick to the side dishes. I'll have my turkey aux naturale.

At the Roscoe house (which will include a fair number of authentic John Alden decendants) we will be serving Hart Cellars Gamay and Hart Cellars Vidal Blanc (or is it Seval Blanc?) thanks to our own Howie Hart. Notes will follow in a day or two after other alcohol and food (four different pumpkin pies) are digested.

Yes, and how many deaths will it take 'til he knowsThat too many people have died?The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the windThe answer is blowin' in the wind.

We are going to have a very traditional meal of turkey, two stuffings, candied pots, peas & pearls, gravy, and cranberry. We are going to start with an '02 La Nunsio Ideale Barbera d'Asti, and follow up with an '02 Tobin James Fatboy, Paso Robles, Zindandel onto into the pumpkin pie.

[quote="AaronW."]Last year I thought I'de experiment with a couple of big dry reds from California for T-Day dinner and failed miserably. Not that the wines themselves weren't great, it's just that the wine/food match was obviously off balance!quote]

An Email I recently received from Hitimewine.net:

TURKEY TROT…
It seems we resurrect this article just about every November but it’s worth noting that the everyday favorites we all know and love (Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot) rarely do the Thanksgiving feast justice in terms of their food and wine matching proclivities. May we offer some suggestions that we’ve found over these many years to be tried and true examples of success? The Thanksgiving meal proffers a broad range of unique flavors that are better accented through utilization of more uncommon grape varietals that are better able to accommodate this unusual flavor spectrum.
We urge you to read through this article with an open mind for some fresh ideas and/or visit our store for a “mix and match session” with a member of our wine staff. Dress up your holiday with an adventurous and imaginative line-up that’s sure to do your holiday bird proud!

PINE RIDGE 2005 CHENIN BLANC-VIOGNIER $9.99 [#251310]
The fruity, floral signature of Chenin Blanc and the fragrant bouquet of Viognier make this unique bottling a classic “Turkey Trot” go-to! The wine exhibits fragrant aromas of pear and peach with a delicate touch of lychee and grapefruit. Bright flavors of citrus and pear are offered to the imbiber along with a supple texture and clean, crisp finish.

ANGELINE 2005 PINOT NOIR (MENDOCINO) $9.95 [#276436]
Angeline leads off with a sweet nose of maraschino cherry followed by a rich, ripe palate of blackberry, boysenberry and mixed raspberry fruit. Scintillating hints of nutmeg and allspice course throughout providing the wine with above-average complexity, breed and length. Velvety smooth and texturally pleasing, all of the wine’s components are integrated nicely. In short, Angeline is a fantastic value with enough built-in versatility to provide enjoyable drinkability throughout the entire holiday season! Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Hi-Time!

France

#375912 Viognier 2005 Domaine Gournier $9.95
Viognier is a perfect “alternative” varietal that matches up well with the Thanksgiving feast. We tend to prefer the non-oaked, crisper versions that come from the south of France. Domaine Gournier is a long-time friend of the store and they’ve come through in 2005 with a fine Viognier that delivers a pastiche of bright melon/tropical fruit along with hints of honeysuckle and acacia. Nice price, too!

#369852 Riesling 2004 “Clos St. Hippolyte” Domaine Koehly $15.95
Riesling from Alsace is another perennial Thanksgiving favorite chez nous and this bone-dry rendition delivers precise flavors of assorted melons and orchard fruits along with a stony minerality. We can’t say enough about the incredible price/value ratio here! A find!

#369521 Vouvray 2005 “Silex” Domaine Fouquet $14.95

Cheni Blanc perennially rates high on our Thanksgiving “go to” list and this first rate production from Bernard Fouquet will both please and amaze! It’s a high wire act that balances pristine layers of white peach, quince and golden delicious apple with succinct minerality and cut. Hints of assorted citrus course throughout enabling a lively balance of tangy acidity and generous ripe fruit. Perfectly suited for enjoying while doing prep work in the kitchen!

#325164 Pinot Blanc 2004 Domaine Koehly $15.95
Speaking of bone-dry, this has to be one of the most focused Pinot Blanc we’ve ever encountered! Laser-like precision is this wine’s calling card. Nevertheless, it delivers all of the oily richness and viscosity that one normally associates with Pinot Blanc in conjunction with a driving rain of ripe acidity and minerality. One of the tastiest Pinot Blanc we’ve ever encountered! Perfect for the day’s dinner and festivities! Great value!

#306980 Beaujolais Villages 2005 Pascal Granger $10.99
What would Thanksgiving be without Beaujolais? We’re very happy to offer you this classic rendition that delivers juicy flavors of pomegranate, wild berries and ripe red apple along with tangy hints of cranberry. This very well-done Beaujolais from a fantastic vintage is perfectly composed for turkey and trimmings

#305981 St. Amour 2005 Domaine Michel Cheveau $17.99
Speaking of Beaujolais, behold this superb St. Amour! We were absolutely captivated with this stunning wine that delivers classic Gamay aromas of candied apple and spice along with a seriously complex montage of black raspberry, blackberry and black cherry fruit. Clean, fresh and invigorating, this exceptional wine is buoyant and inordinately generous. It’s, without a doubt, the finest St. Amour we’ve ever encountered! Yet another find!

!#369520 Côtes du Rhone 2004 “Cuvée Antique” Domaine Ferrand $14.95
Grenache is another one of our favorite Thanksgiving favorites and this one plays to the strength of the 2004 vintage in delivering a basket full of ripe, mixed berry, wild cherry fruit along with sundry hints of white pepper, brown spices and peppercorn. This lovely effort captures the unique balance of fruit and structure that defines the 2004 vintage in the southern Rhone. Here’s another captivating effort that’s perfect for the turkey bird!

New Zealand

NINTH ISLAND 2005 PINOT NOIR, TASMANIA $12.98 [#377189]
This terrific and very affordable Pinot has been one of our best values in the category for several years and 2005 is no exception. Piper’s Brook Winery offers this second label entry level Pinot at a tremendous price with our gratitude as it’s not easy to source good Pinot Noir below $20.The 2005 is blessed with aromas and flavors of spiced strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruits broadened by mild tannins and nicely balanced acidity.It’s perfect for the Thanksgiving table and one of the best Pinot values going. (Right- Ninth Island Vineyard View.. wow!)

CRAGGY RANGE 2005 RIESLING $15.98 [#377146]
This tiny production Riesling is not only scarce but also, it’s outstanding! Only a handful of cases made it to the West Coast so we are thrilled to offer it as part of our turkey day line-up. Steve Smith and Co. at Craggy have fashioned a crisp, minerally white that wakes up the palate with fresh citrus and stone fruits and racy acidity. It is quite dry yet possesses a slight perception of sweetness that rounds it out to perfection. Ideally suited for Turkey with all the trimmings!!

DANIEL SCHUSTER 2004,2005 PINOT NOIR “TWIN VINEYARDS” $18.98 [#377031]
Daniel Schuster makes some of our favorite New Zealand Pinot Noirs as he gets the most from his vineyards while applying a minimal interventionist approach in the winery. Due to the fact that the 2005 vintage brought small, tannic berries, Schuster blended this wine with twenty percent 2004 fruit to perfect it. The result is a classy, elegant Pinot Noir with perfumed raspberry and cherry fruit that’s fresh and vibrant and blessed with a bit of complexity as well. It more than rivals anything from California in the price range. (Right - Schuster vineyards & friend)

Italy

TERLANO 2004 "LUNARE" GEWÜRZTRAMINER $39.98 [302144]

Of course, what would Thanksgiving be without the exotic flavors of Gewürztraminer. This one is absolutely delicious. Flavors of rose pedal, lychee, lemon and spice will make your Thanksgiving feast memorable.

Spain

piqueras 2005 castillo de almansa (Spain) $7.99 [#378951]
This delicious wine is 100% Garnacha Tintorera also known as Alicante. It's full-bodied, richly aromatic of cassis and sage with lingering flavors of ripe plums and black pepper. 100% stainless steel retains bright acidity and youthful fruit characters. Pairs with a variety of holiday fare such as ham and turkey.

Chile

Cono Sur 2006 Pinot Noir $8.99 [#378971] will arrive November 14th
Case price $7.99 per bottle / box of 12
Taste the voluptuousness of this single varietal Pinot Noir in its rich fruit notes of cherry, plum and strawberry, enhanced by subtle smoky hints. Balanced and New World-styled, this wine's character and elegance will partner beautifully with white meats, firm-fleshed fish, fowl and pasta.

Argentina

Norton 2006 Rosé $6.99 [#378988]
This vibrant rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon is the ultimate accompaniment to your Thanksgiving feast. Its bright, red-fruit bouquet leaps out of the glass, heralding a complex palate of strawberry, sour-cherry and brisk minerality. With balanced acidity and a dry but lingering finish, this light-to-medium-bodied pleasure will pair exceptionally well with anything on the Thanksgiving table.

Brian K Miller wrote:Cornish Game Hens, I've just been informed, is the menu this year....

My family is a bit scattered this year. I'm traveling to Maine with one of my 5 sons (and his fiance, son and my mother-in-law). Two of my sons are in Iraq. The other two could not get off work to travel to Maine, so the oldest is having dinner with his in-laws, while the other one is cooking Cornish Game Hens in orange sauce for his girl friend, who is flying up from Florida. She doesn't like dry reds, so they will probably have an off-dry Vidal or Riesling.

However, I'm already looking forward to Thanksgiving 2007 with all five of my sons home.